TSL Sports Talk host, Mark Gray, reunited with an old friend and colleague, Doug Stewart, who is now an HBCU broadcaster for ASPiRE TV and half of The 2 Live Stews on TSL Sports Talk last week. Gray and Stewart gave us a brief background on their history together and their ties to HBCU sports, which lead to many entertaining discussions beyond HBCU football that you’re not going to want to miss. During their discussion, Gray brought up how Skip Bayless suggested that Kobe’s rape charge gave him some “sizzle” in selling his sneaker line when talking with Stephen Smith on First Take.
Stewart on Bayless' remark about Kobe:
Skip’s alright. He’s ok. He’s just from a different place than we are. Let’s just put it like that. Skip is from some little small town in Oklahoma. He didn’t grow up with a lot of -how can I put it- urban influences… His perspective on what street cred is -for him to make a comment like that- tells you he has no understanding or idea of what street cred is. The whole phrase 'street cred' is crazy in itself. You don't get street cred for taking some booty! I don't care in what circumstance! Street cred and rape, don't equate! For him to make a statement like that is just asinine and I think that's a lot of the reason why they always try to infuse Skip with someone who's more worldly as far as urban issues and topics, ie: Me and my brother, Rob Parker (before they got rid of him), now Stephen A. Smith on a daily basis… I feel like this guy [Skip] makes statements to get a rise. He's almost like the JR Ewing of sports talk…He's the guy that you love to hate.
Whether or not Stewart thinks Stephen A. Smith seems "neutered" after his week suspension in wake of his seeminly insremarks on the Ray Rice situation:
He's in a situation where he's got a good job. The powers that be don't want certain opinions out there, don't want certain agendas out there, so a lot of times I've tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because he's got a good job! You don't want to lose said good job. They [ESPN] don't necessarily tell you what you should say or what opinion you should have, but it kind of comes across subconsciously and inadvertently. So I'm not going to say Stephen A. Smith has been neutered, for him to make the comments he does, do and say the things that he does… I understand.
Listen to the full interview about to hear more on Stewarts thoughts on Smith, HBCU football, and much more.
TSL Sports Talk broadcasts live, every Thursday, 3-5PM. Follow us on twitter: @TSLSportsTalk or write us at: [email protected].
